IT IS A UNIQUELY AMERICAN MOMENT THE CULMINATION OF A UNIQUELY AMERICAN STORY THE WORLD'S MOST INFLUENTIAL JOURNALISTS WAIT AS THE LEADER OF THE FREE WORLD PREPARES TO SPEAK BUT FOR ONCE HE IS NOT THE ONE THEY HAVE COME TO SEE THE STORY THEY SEEK IS EMBODIED BY THE SMALL UNASSUMING WOMAN WHO STANDS BESIDE THE PRESIDENT THEY WILL SOON BE INVESTIGATING EVERY WORD SHE HAS EVER SPOKEN EVERY CHOICE MADE IN HER 60 YEARS SHE IS HERE AT THE DISCRE TION OF THE PRESIDENT AND IT IS WIDELY KNOWN THAT SHE WAS NOT HIS FIRST CHOICE THAT CHOICE MUST STILL BE AFFIRMED BY A POTENTIALLY HOSTILE CONGRESS SHOULD SHE SUCCEED THROUGH ALL THAT SHE WILL OCCUPY A POSITION OF POWER POTENTIALLY GREATER THAN ANY OF THOSE WHO WOULD SOON JUDGE HER A LIFETIME APPOINT MENT TO THE WORLD'S GREATEST DELIBERA TIVE BODY ON HER OPINION LAWS WILL STAND OR FALL SHE WILL BE BEHOLDEN TO NO ONE NOT THE PRESIDENT WHO SELECTED HER NOR THE SENATE THAT CONFIRMED HER THIS SLIGHT WOMAN WILL HAVE POWER OVER ALL OF THEM SHE WILL BE ONLY THE SECOND WOMAN TO HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY AN OPPORTUNITY THAT RUTH BADER GINSBURG THROUGH HER LIFETIME OF FIGHTING FOR THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN HAS HELPED TO BRING ABOUT
THE PRESIDENT IS OBVIOUSLY PLEASED WITH HIS CHOICE THAT HAS NOT ALWAYS BEEN THE CASE IN THE FIRST 6 MONTHS OF HIS PRESIDENCY SOME OF HIS HIGH PROFILE CHOICES FOR HIGH POSITIONS HAD GONE DOWN IN FLAMES SEVERAL OF THEM WERE WOMEN ZOE BAIRD AN UP AND COMING LAWYER WHO WOULD HAVE BEEN THE FIRST FEMALE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAW HER NOMINATION CRASH AND BURN PRESIDENT CLINTON'S SECOND CHOICE JUDGE KIMBA WOOD HAD ALSO HIRED AN ILLEGAL ALIEN AS A NANNY WORST OF ALL HIS LONGTIME FRIEND AND SUPPORTER LANI GUINIER FOUND HER NOMINATION DERAILED WHEN SOME OF HER MORE CONTROVERSIAL OPINIONS WERE MADE PUBLIC HER NANNY AND CHAUFFEUR TURNED OUT TO BE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FOR WHICH NO SOCIAL SECURITY TAXES HAD BEEN PAID LINLIKE BAIRD SHE HAD BROKEN NO LAWS IT DIDN'T MATTER CLINTON WITHDREW HER CANDIDACY FOR ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR CIVIL RIGHTS CLAIMING HE WAS UNAWARE OF HER VIEWS AN EXPLANATION THAT ANGERED HER SUPPORTERS AND EMBOLDENED HIS CRITICS NOT A WISE DECISION FOR SOMEONE ASPIRING TO BECOME THE CHIEF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER OF THE LAND A GUN SHY WHITE HOUSE PULLED THE PLUG ON HER NOMINATION TURNING TO A THIRD CANDIDATE THIS TIME A WOMAN WITH NO CHILDREN AND NO NANNY PROBLEMS WHISPERS ABOUT THE COMPETENCE OF THE NEW WHITE HOUSE WERE GETTING LOUDER WITH THIS HISTORIC CHOICE THE PRESIDENT FELT CONFIDENT THAT FEW COULD COMPLAIN OR FIND FAULT SUCH WAS THE REPUTATION OF JUDGE RUTH BADER GINSBURG
